Facial cover

ABSTRACT

A facial cover has a main body for covering at least a lower part of the face. The main body is made of a thermally insulating material. The main body has a mouth opening and a nose opening. A securing portion is connected to the main body and forms an encircling band. A beard is attached to the main body.

This application claims the benefit of prior U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/379,168, filed Sep. 1, 2010.

BACKGROUND

An embodiment of the device relates generally to a device to a wearabledevice. In one embodiment this device protects the user's face and neckin cold or inclement weather environments, providing functionality, aswell as novelty and useable in strenuous cold weather or outdooractivities, and although not limited to specific activities it is moreparticularly useful, to users who ski, snowboard, ride motorcycles,watch sporting events, concerts or other activities where the user isexposed to cold or windy conditions.

A traditional Balaclava or ski mask is commonly used in various outdooror cold weather environments to shield the face and neck from exposureto the cold. These devices employ generally a simple sheet of thermalmaterial to prevent exposure to the cold, but none offers additionaladjustable thermal insulation. The device thus provides the utility ofadditional protective material for protecting the user's face and neck,adjustable thermal insulation and a comical, pop culture savvy persona.

SUMMARY

One embodiment relates to a facial cover that has a main body that isformed of a thermally insulating material. The facial covering is tocover at least a lower part of a face. The main body has one or morenose openings. The main body has one or more mouth openings. A securingportion is connected to the main body and a beard portion is attached tothe main body. A pocket may be attached to the interior side of thebeard portion.

Another embodiment relates a facial cover that has a main body forcovering at least a lower part of the face. The main body is formed of athermally insulating material. The main body has one or more noseopenings, one or more mouth openings and has an integral neck cover. Anose bridge cover is connected to the main body for partially coveringthe one or more nose openings. A securing portion is connected to themain body and conjointly with the main body forms an encircling band. Abeard portion is attached to the main body. A pocket may be attached tothe interior side of the beard portion.

A further embodiment related a facial cover for partially covering auser's lower face and neck has a main body formed of a thermallyinsulating material. The main body has one or more substantiallyelliptically shaped nose openings that would be proximate to the user'snose and one or more substantially elliptically shaped mouth openingsproximate to the user's mouth when the device is worn. The body portionhas an integral neck cover. A nose bridge cover is connected to the mainbody for partially covering the one or more nose openings. A securingportion is connected to the body portion, the securing portionconjointly with the body portion encircles the user's head. A beardportion is attached to the body portion.

Briefly stated, various embodiments comprises a device to protect theuser's face and neck in cold or inclement weather environments using amask device and including therewith an attached costume beard that hasnovelty fasteners allowing for added decorations.

Another embodiment comprises a variety of costume beard styles that canbe attached to the mask device.

An additional embodiment comprises a device to store small electronicdevices, money, cell phones, lift tickets, keys, credit cards or similaritems within the facial cover. This is accomplished using a pocketattached under the beard below the chin. The pocket can be closed usinga hook and loop fastener, zipper, or any other common closure method.

An additional embodiment of the device comprises a system enabling usersto uniquely customize the beard and mask device by adding smalldecorative or functional attachments. These attachments can vary fromwords, letters, numbers, bones, skulls, clips, braids, small animals,food, plastic lips/mouth/teeth, etc.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description ofmultiple embodiments, will be better understood when read in conjunctionwith the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustration, there areshown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred. Itshould be understood that the device is not limited to the precisearrangements and instrumentalities shown nor is it limited to anyspecific embodiment.

FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of a facial cover;

FIG. 2 illustrates a front view of a facial cover for the full face;

FIG. 3 illustrates a rear view of a facial cover for the face and neck;

FIG. 4 illustrates a front view of a facial cover for the face and ears;

FIG. 5 illustrates a front view of a facial cover for the face, ears andneck;

FIG. 6 illustrates a front view of a main body that is tapered;

FIG. 7 illustrates a front view of a facial cover with a beard portion;

FIG. 8 illustrates a front view of a main body that is rectangular;

FIG. 9 illustrates a front view of a facial cover with a beard portion;

FIG. 10 illustrates a front view of a facial cover with a beard portion;

FIG. 11 illustrates a front view of a facial cover with noveltyfasteners;

FIG. 12 illustrates a rear view of a facial cover with a headphone loop;

FIG. 13 illustrates a front view of a facial cover;

FIG. 14 illustrates detachable and exchangeable beards using a hook andloop fastener;

FIG. 15 illustrates detachable and exchangeable beards using snaps;

FIG. 16 illustrates a facial cover with a detachable nose bridge cover;and

FIG. 17 illustrates a facial cover with a non-detachable nose bridgecover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a facial cover 100 that has a main body 110 that isformed of a thermally insulating material. The thermally insulatingmaterial may be made from a number of materials, such as silk, cotton,polypropylene, neoprene, wool, acrylic, fleece or the like. The mainbody is formed of a thermally insulating material and may be flexible,semi-flexible or rigid. The facial mask is for covering at least someportion of the lower part of a user's face. The main body has one ormore mouth openings 120 and has one or more nose openings 130. The mouthopening may be substantially shaped as an ellipse, slotted, a rectangle,a rectangle with rounded edges, a slit, an elongated oval, a circle orthe like. The nose opening may be substantially ellipse shaped,triangular shaped, slotted or may also be shaped as an ellipse, arectangle, a rectangle with rounded edges, a slit, an elongated oval, acircle or the like. A securing portion 140 is connected to the mainbody. The securing portion can be formed of one or more elastic bandsthat are detachably connectable to one another. The width of thesecuring portion may perform the function of securing or mayadditionally perform the function of thermal insulation for the backpart of the head or both. The securing portion may be made of forexample flexible plastic, rubber, thermally insulating material,stretchable fabric or the like. The detachable connectors for thesecuring portion may be hook and loop fasteners, snaps or the like. Abeard portion 150 is attached to the main body and has an interior sideand an exterior side. The beard may be detachable or non-detachable. Thebeard portion 150 may also have varying thermal insulation propertiessuch that different beards may be exchanged based upon the weather. Thebeard portion may be constructed of faux hair to have the appearance ofa beard. The beard may also have fasteners for detachable connection ofnovelty items to the exterior of the beard. A pocket may be attached tothe interior side of the beard portion as shown in FIG. 3. The main bodymay additionally contain a resistive heating element.

FIG. 2 illustrates a facial cover 200 having a head cover 210 formed ofa thermally insulating material. The head cover is connected to a mainbody 220 and wherein the main body has one or more eye openings 230. Thehead cover may either partially or completely cover the head and may beeither detachable or non-detachable to the main body. The head cover mayalso be integral to the main body. The head cover may for example, beflexible, semi-flexible or rigid in construction or combinationsthereof.

FIG. 3 illustrates a facial cover 300 for the lower face and ears thatinclude a neck cover 310 formed of a thermally insulating material. Theneck cover is connected to a main body 320. The neck cover may beconstructed of one or more sections and may be flexible, semi-flexibleor rigid. The neck cover may also be integral to the main body. A pocket330 may be connected to an interior side of a beard portion 340. The earand neck cover may be either unitary or multi-part. The pocket may besecured to a main body by a zipper, hook and loop fastener or the like.The pocket may further have a zipper, a hook and loop fastener or thelike to seal the pocket.

FIG. 4 illustrates a facial cover 400 for the lower face and neck thatincludes at least one ear cover 410 formed of a thermally insulatingmaterial. An ear cover is connected to a main body 420. The ear covermay for example, be made integral to the main body. A nose bridge cover430 is connected to the main body. The nose bridge cover may be made ofthermal insulating material and may be either detachable ornon-detachable. Detachable nose bridge covers may be connected to themain body by hook and loop fasteners, snaps or the like. The nose bridgecover may be flexible, semi-flexible or rigid. The ear cover may have aneyeglass slot 440 therethrough.

FIG. 5 illustrates a facial cover 500 for the lower face, ears and neckthat includes at least one ear cover 510 and a neck cover 520 formed ofa thermally insulating material. The ear cover and neck cover areconnected to a main body 530. The ear cover and neck cover may be eithera unitary piece or a set of multiple pieces. The ear cover may bedetachable or non-detachable. The ear cover and neck cover may beintegral to the main body. The ear cover may have an eyeglass slot 540therethrough.

FIG. 6 illustrates a disconnected facial cover 600 that has beenflattened. A nose bridge cover 610 is attached to the main body over thenose opening 620 in the main body. The main body has a mouth opening 630therethrough. A securing portion 640, which in this case is a hook andloop fastener is connected to the main body. The securing portion isconjoint with the main body for forming an encircling band. The mainbody in the instant embodiment has a tapered shape. The distance fromthe top of the nose bridge cover to the bottom of the tapered main bodyis approximately 11 inches to 13 inches. The length of the nose bridgecover is approximately two inches. The distance from the bottom of thenose opening to the bottom of the mouth opening is approximately two andone quarter inches. The height of the mouth opening is approximately oneinch.

FIG. 7 illustrates a facial cover 700 with a nose bridge cover 710 overthe nose opening 720. The main body has a mouth opening 730therethrough. A securing portion 740, which in this case is a hook andloop fastener is connected to the main body. The securing portion isconjoint with the main body for forming an encircling band. The beardportion 750 is attached to the main body.

FIG. 8 illustrates a facial cover 800 with a nose bridge cover 810 overthe nose opening 820. The main body has a mouth opening 830therethrough. A securing portion 840, which in this case is a hook andloop fastener is connected to the main body. The securing portion isconjoint with the main body for forming an encircling band. The mainbody in the instant embodiment has a rectangular shape.

FIG. 9 illustrates a facial cover 900 with a nose bridge cover 910 overthe nose opening 920. The main body has a mouth opening 930therethrough. A securing portion 940, which in this case is a hook andloop fastener is connected to the main body. The securing portion isconjoint with the main body for forming an encircling band. The beardportion 750 is attached to the main body.

FIG. 8 illustrates a facial cover 1000 with a beard portion 1020. Thebeard portion is connected to a main body. The beard portion can eitherdetachable or non-detachable to the main body. The detachable attachmentmay be hook and loop fasteners, snaps, a zipper or the like. The beardportion may also be made of thermally insulating material. The main bodyis connected to a retaining portion 1010.

FIG. 11 illustrates a facial mask 1100 with a set of novelty fasteners1110. The novelty fasteners are attached to an exterior side of a beardportion 1120 for attachment of decorative objects 1130.

FIG. 12 illustrates a facial mask 1200 with a headphone set loop 1210.The headphone set loop is connected to a main body 1220. The headphoneset loop may be integral to the main body.

FIG. 13 illustrates a facial cover 1300 that has a main body 1310 forcovering at least a lower part of the face. The main body is formed of athermally insulating material. The main body has one or more mouthopenings 1320. The main body has one or more nose openings 1330. Asecuring portion 1340 is connected to the main body. The securingportion is conjoint with the main body for forming an encircling band. Abeard portion 1350 is attached to the main body. The beard portion hasan interior side and an exterior side. A pocket, as shown in FIG. 3, mayattached to the interior side of the beard portion. A nose bridge cover1360 is connected to the main body 1310 for partially covering the oneor more nose openings 1330. The nose bridge cover may be flexible,semi-flexible or rigid. The nose bridge cover may be either detachableor non-detachable. The nose bridge cover may also be formed of a thermalinsulating material. The connection of the nose bridge cover may be hookand loop fastener, snaps, zippers or the like.

FIG. 14 illustrates a facial cover 1400 with a detachable beard portion1450 and 1260. A main body 1210 has at least one hook and loop fastener1420. The detachable beard portions 1450 and 1460 have a set of hook andloop fasteners 1430 and 1440 respectively.

FIG. 15 illustrates a facial cover 1500 with detachable beard portions1550 and 1560. The main body 1510 has at least one snap fastener 1520.The detachable beard portions 1550 and 1560 have a set of complementarysnap fasteners 1530 and 1540 respectively.

FIG. 16 illustrates a facial cover 1600. A main body 1610 has at leastone nose opening 1620. The main body 1610 has a set of detachablefasteners 1630 attached to it. The detachable fasteners can be hook andloop fasteners, snaps or the like. A detachable nose bridge cover 1640also has a set of complementary detachable fasteners 1650.

FIG. 17 illustrates a facial cover 1700. A non-detachable nose bridgecover 1720 is connected to a main body 1710.

Although the present embodiment illustrates a main body having aparabolic shape, the shape is exemplary and may be any shape that coversthe face of a user. The thermally insulating material may be made from anumber of materials, such as silk, cotton, polypropylene, neoprene,wool, acrylic, fleece or the like. The mouth opening though shownsubstantially rectangular is for illustrative purposes and can have anyshape which allows access to the mouth, such as a slot, a curve, a roundhole or the like. The nose opening though shown substantially as atriangular shape is for illustrative purposes and may have any shapewhich allows access to the nose, such as a square, circle or the like.

1. A facial cover comprising: a main body for covering at least a lowerpart of said face, said main body being formed of a thermally insulatingmaterial, said main body having one or more nose openings therethrough,said main body having one or more mouth openings therethrough; asecuring portion connected to said main body; and a beard portionattached to said main body.
 2. The facial cover of claim 1 wherein saidmain body having an integral neck cover.
 3. The facial cover of claim 1wherein said main body having an integral ear cover.
 4. The facial coverof claim 1 wherein said securing portion conjointly with said main bodyform an encircling band.
 5. The facial cover of claim 1 wherein saidsecuring portion comprises an elastic strap.
 6. The facial cover ofclaim 1 wherein said securing portion comprises a hook and loopfastener.
 7. The facial cover of claim 1 wherein said beard portion isdetachable and interchangeable.
 8. The facial cover of claim 1 whereinsaid beard portion is non-detachable.
 9. The facial cover of claim 1further comprising one or more novelty fasteners attached to an exteriorside of said beard portion for attachment of decorative objects.
 10. Thefacial cover of claim 1 further comprising a headphone set loopconnected to said main body.
 11. The facial cover of claim 1 furthercomprising a detachable nose bridge cover connected to said main bodyfor partially covering said one or more nose openings.
 12. The facialcover of claim 1 further comprising a non-detachable nose bridge coverconnected to said main body for partially covering said one or more noseopenings.
 13. The facial cover of claim 1 further comprising anextension for said beard portion.
 14. A facial cover comprising: a mainbody for covering at least a lower part of said face, wherein said mainbody is formed of a thermally insulating material, said main body havingone or more nose openings therethrough, said main body having one ormore mouth openings therethrough, said body portion having an integralneck cover; a nose bridge cover connected to said main body forpartially covering said one or more nose openings; a securing portionconnected to said main body, wherein said securing portion conjointlywith said main body form an encircling band; and a beard portionattached to said main body.
 15. The facial cover of claim 14 furthercomprising a pocket connected to said main body.
 16. The facial cover ofclaim 14 wherein said one or more nose openings is elliptically shaped.17. The facial cover of claim 14 wherein said one or more mouth openingsis elliptically shaped.
 18. The facial cover of claim 14 wherein saidmain body having an integral ear cover.
 19. The facial cover of claim 18wherein the integral ear cover having an eyeglass slot therethrough. 20.The facial cover of claim 14 further including a resistive heatingelement.
 21. A facial cover for partially covering a user's lower faceand neck comprising: a main body formed of a thermally insulatingmaterial, said main body having one or more substantially ellipticallyshaped nose openings therethrough proximate to the user's nose, saidmain body having one or more substantially elliptically shaped mouthopenings therethrough proximate to the user's mouth, said main bodyportion having an integral neck cover; a nose bridge cover connected tosaid main body for partially covering said one or more nose openings;and a securing portion connected to said main body portion, wherein saidsecuring portion conjointly with said main body portion encircle theuser's head.
 22. The facial cover of claim 21 further including a beardportion operatively associated with said main body portion.
 23. Thefacial cover of claim 21 wherein said main body having an integral earcover and wherein said integral ear cover having an eyeglass slottherethrough.
 24. A beard attachment adapted to be attached to athermally insulated facial cover for partially covering a user's lowerface and neck comprising: an attachment surface adapted to be attachedto said thermally insulated facial cover; and a faux hair portionproximate to said attachment surface such that when said beardattachment is attached to said thermally insulated facial cover theappearance of a beard exists.